Jack Canon's American Destiny

Broken Pieces

Friday, October 31, 2014

It’s 8:30, and the phone rings. It’s reminiscent of one of those old-fashioned tellies most people only see in museums nowadays. If I wasn’t already at least a little awake, the sound would’ve had me sitting up groping around to answer the phone, only to realize it’s my alarm. What can I say? I have to trick myself into waking up in the mornings.

Usually, though, I beat the alarm up by five or ten minutes, sleepily checking my email for any new stuff from my editing clients. I have roughly an hour to wake up, and I tend to spend most of it addressing little things I can do on my phone while half asleep.

By 9:30, I’m mostly conscious, and have sent my husband off to work. Then, and only then, can my real work begin.

Cue chaos.

First up, I have client work to address. This means I’m reading through manuscripts trying to find ways an author can improve their novels on a structural level. Some days, this involves picking at writing on a sentence level, making recommendations on style improvements, tension and pacing improvements, and even general improvement of English-language skills. On other days, I’m picking apart character arcs, plot arcs, and the general tone of a novel.

Once I reach my benchmarks for the day, I’m drafting or editing my own novels. This can be rewriting scenes I think need a lot of improvement, tweaking sentences, or addressing problems my editor(s) have pointed out.

During this, I’m dealing with household emergencies, bills, making sure my four cats don’t try to eat me, you know, the usual. Sometimes, I flake out and do things other than what I’m supposed to be doing. One of my favorite flaking-out activities is drawing maps of my world. I used to sketch them on my computer, but now I do them on imitation parchment paper and scan them into the computer. Sometimes I sketch things like dragons. Other times, I’ll crochet something (badly) or try to knit.

Mostly, though, I work and try to pretend that I’m not falling behind on the house chores again. One of these days I will get a maid. Of course, one of these days will probably never come, but a girl can dream, right?

At night is when things get really weird. On the surface, I look like this responsible and serious editor-writer person. Then, my husband comes home. If I owned the proper attire or felt comfortable in that sort of thing, I’d probably get into a catgirl suit, find some daggers, and try to play my computer game character. My fellow gamers just call me StabbyStabby. I play a rogue, and I’m prone to saying StabbyStabby before it’s time to kill something in the game.

I guess all work and no play for a few years made me a kind of crazy person. I raid in Everquest with my husband a few days a week, which gives us time to spend together doing something we both enjoy. Rogues are great therapy characters. If I have a bad day at work, it’s no problem. I can take it all out on some unsuspecting monsters in Everquest. Stabbystabbystabby…

Whenever I find time, I settle down and read books. I usually try to review the books I read, because I enjoy the process of explaining what I liked and didn’t like about a story. I also find it useful for readers who are potentially buying a story.

To sum it up…

A day in the life of RJ Blain: Busy but rewarding.

Here’s to tomorrow.

Kalen’s throne is his saddle, his crown is the dirt on his brow, and his right to rule is sealed in the blood that stains his hand. Few know the truth about the one-armed Rift King, and he prefers it that way. When people get too close to him, they either betray him or die. The Rift he rules cares nothing for the weak. More often than not, even the strong fail to survive.

When he’s abducted, his disappearance threatens to destroy his home, his people, and start a hopeless and bloody war. There are many who desire his death, and few who hope for his survival. With peace in the Six Kingdoms quickly crumbling, it falls on him to try to stop the conflict swiftly taking the entire continent by storm.

But something even more terrifying than the machinations of men has returned to the lands: The skreed. They haven’t been seen for a thousand years, and even the true power of the Rift King might not be enough to save his people — and the world — from destruction.

Wednesday, October 29, 2014

So, you’ve written your book, found an agent, your agent has matched your book with a publisher. What next?

It can take one year before your book is in print. Throughout
the year you will receive two or three rounds of edits, then copyedits,
then line edits. You’ll be asked to proof the cover copy of your book. A
bio and a professional headshot will be created. Blurbs need to be
written. At least 3 months before publication your book will be sent to
reviews and the press for pre-publication reviews and to bookshops.

You may or may not be lucky enough to have a publicist, either way you still have to market your own book. If
you are fortunate enough, you might have a book tour. But touring
Authors around the country is expensive, don’t expect any-more
travelling by coach! You need to market yourself in any way possible,
talk to local papers, radio shows, apply to be a guest at local
conferences or speak at libraries, book clubs or schools. And don’t
forget social media twitter, Facebook etc…

You get to select your book cover. This
is very unlikely, the book cover is usually the work of an art
department, with the opinions of everyone from the editor, publisher,
marketing and PR departments. Everyone has their say but you!

You still get rejections. It’s true. Just because you have a publisher doesn’t mean that your new manuscripts or proposals won’t be rejected.

You will still be poor.
If you are extremely lucky your book will make enough money so you can
quit your job, the average book advance is a mere £3,000-£5,000 then you
have to wait a year until it is in print-then if you’re fortunate
enough to sell tens of thousands of copies you may be in a position to
quit your day job.

For
the first time ever, this collection of short stories by Gary Troia
brings together, in chronological order stories and memoirs from Spanish
Yarns and Beyond, English Yarns and Beyond and A Bricklayer’s Tales
into one complete volume.

“Excellent! A
collection of short stories about depression, alcoholism and drug use.
Very compelling reading. I read this short story collection all in one
go.” (Maria, Goodreads.)

A Bricklayer’s Tales is
the ultimate “I hate this job” story, written as a collection of short
stories and memoirs, each one revealing a snapshot in the life of Ray.
Troia captures the tedium of working in a low paid, menial job and
living hand to mouth. This book of short stories is sad and questions
the reader to ask questions about their own life. This book achieves
clarity without trying.

Ray
has three expensive hobbies: drinking, drugs, and running away. Without
the income that Bricklaying provides, he would not be able to maintain
his chosen lifestyle, so he compromises his principles and continues
with his trade.

A collection of short stories and memoirs that include:

The Cuckoo’s Egg. Boyhood antics lead to tragedy.

My Grandfather’s Shed. The making of an English key

No Comb on the Cock. Gypsies, champion fighting cocks, and career choices.

What I Did In My Summer Holidays In 1000 Words. Could having an idea ever be considered a criminal act?

My Best Mate’s Head. Did a weekend of boozing save Ray from certain death?

The Shetland Isles. A trip to sunny Benidorm, a chance meeting with some Glaswegians, and a cold, miserable job in Lerwick.

Pointing a House in Islington. Too much alcohol and cocaine don’t mix well on building sites!

Angel Dust. The peculiar story of a man whose new life in America leads to conversations with Ancient Greek philosophers

Peyote. Hippies, LSD and an idyllic refuge

Return Ticket. Handcuffed and ready for deportation. A sad departure from the States

When I Joined a Cult. Sober dating as Ray discovers religion.

Bilbao. How very, very English!

Teaching Other People. The grass is always greener-the escape from bricklaying.

A Week in the Life of Ray Dennis. With the prospect of no money for food or alcohol this Christmas, Ray has to find work quickly.

Catania. A meeting with a Sicilian fox, some Neapolitans, and a man with a camel haired coat.

Advert In The Art Shop Window. Will a new building job in Spain be the start of a new life?

Gaudi. A flight to Barcelona for a kebab, and a look at the Sagrada Familia.

The Day My Soul Left Me. “To be or not to be? That is the question”

How Not to Travel to The Alhambra. Hung-over, the wrong fuel, the car breaks down. Will they ever make it to Granada?

The Road To Ronda. A terrifying drive to Ronda, was it worth it?

Poking A Carob Tree. A new home and new neighbours, just in time for Christmas.

Spain Reborn.No more commuting to London. Lets celebrate!

Home From Home. A parallel world where the Spanish have taken over Weymouth.

Three Common Carp.An epic battle with a whale and marlin it is not.

Mrs. McClintock. An absurd farce in which a Glaswegian couple retire to Spain

Saturday, October 25, 2014

I
was asked to give you a little insight on me by telling you 10 things
that you might not realize about me from author biographies that you see
in the back of my books.

My first short stories were published while I was in high school. I was a senior in high school when I had short stories accepted for publication in the National Vietnam Veterans Review. I wasn’t paid for them, but I still count them as my first publishing credits.

My first professional publishing writing credit was in 1988. The
first time that I got paid for something I wrote was when I was still
in college. I competed in a competition to develop a marketing and
advertising campaign for a new business. I put together an entire
campaign with ads, press releases, etc. and won the competition. What I
was particularly pleased with was that I was competing against teams of
other college students, and yet, I won by doing it all by myself.

I have won more than two dozen journalism and advertising awards. I
have won awards from the Maryland-Delaware-DC Press Association,
Society of Professional Journalists, Associated Press, Maryland State
Teachers Association, CNHI, Utah Ad Federation and American Advertising
Federation of Greater Frederick. I figure it is only a matter of time
before my books start winning awards. I’ve got my fingers crossed.

My family is not interested in writing. You
would figure that at least someone in my family would also be
interested in writing since it’s my work. They’re not. In fact, only my
youngest son is the only regular reader in the family and my wife admits
the only book of mine that she has read was my first historical novel
published in 2000.

Both of my sons are adopted. My wife and I have two sons. They are both adopted; one from Kentucky and one from Russia.

I love to bicycle. I
can’t say that I’m particularly fast on my bike. I average about 13.5
mph, but I do bike about 100 miles a week. I tend to meander along the
back roads in the county where I live. I love the scenery, but sometimes
the hills kill me. I will even ride my bike if I have to run errands in
Gettysburg.

I own a dinosaur egg. I
have a small collection of interesting fossils, rocks and minerals that
I’ve accumulated over the years. At a festival I attend annually to
sign books, there’s another gentlemen who sells rocks and minerals. I
always check out his items. Last year, he had a fossilized hadrosaur egg
from China. It’s about the size of two softballs. It was a splurge
purchase.

I have had articles published in more than 110 publications. I
like to write and I try to get in a wide variety of publications as
well as getting published multiple times in the ones I like. I do this
rather than focusing on a few magazines because I have had magazines
that I write for go out of business. I have been published in magazines,
newspapers, web sites, newsletters and newspapers that cover a lot of
different markets and subjects. One of the reasons for the variety is
that I usually come up with an idea first and then try to find the
market for it.

I started out as a business major in college. I
did this because my grandfather kept telling me that I needed a major
that I could get a job with. I figured out that when I get falling
asleep in class, though, that I might want to find a major that better
suited me. With my grandfather’s advice in my head and my interest in
writing, I settled on advertising copywriting, which was an enjoyable
major.

I am a big Jimmy Stewart fan. Forget modern actors. My favorite actor is Jimmy Stewart. I’ve enjoyed his movies since I first watched Mr. Smith Goes to Washington while
I was in college. I think I have seen all of his movies and most of his
television roles. I have even listened to his old-time radio series and
guest appearances.

So there you have it. That’s 10 things I bet you didn’t know about me. Does it make me seem geekier? Oh well, it’s me.

The
Civil War split the United States and now it has split the Fitzgerald
Family. Although George Fitzgerald has returned from the war, his sister
Elizabeth Fitzgerald has chosen to remain in Washington to volunteer as
a nurse.

The
ex-Confederate spy, David Windover, has given up on his dream of being
with Alice Fitzgerald and is trying to move on with his life in
Cumberland, Md. Alice and her sons continue to haul coal along the
184.5-mile-long C&O Canal. It is dangerous work, though, during war
time because the canal runs along the Potomac River and between the
North and South. Having had to endured death and loss already, Alice
wonders whether remaining on the canal is worth the cost. She wants her
family reunited and safe, but she can’t reconcile her feelings between
David and her dead husband. Her adopted son, Tony, has his own questions
that he is trying to answer.

He
wants to know who he is and if his birth mother ever loved him. As he
tries to find out more about his birth mother and father, he stumbles
onto a plan by Confederate sympathizers to sabotage the canal and burn
dozens of canal boats. He enlists David’s help to try and disrupt the
plot before it endangers his new family, but first they will have find
out who is behind the plot.

Thursday, October 23, 2014

“In
the long term I am quite optimistic that humankind will learn how,
individually and collectively, to prosper. Unfortunately, most
developed nations have debts and obligations that have gotten beyond
prudent levels for a healthy world economy. Our world leaders and their
electorates must come to terms with this enormous obstacle to our
future. We can and we must address this huge problem in a kind and wise
manner. Once this onerous debt is properly alleviated, nations and
individuals can move forward toward sustainable prosperity.”

From the chapter on democracies, by co-author John E. Wade II:

“A
world full of stable, robust, prosperous democracies would be a world
of permanent peace. Democracies almost never make war on each other;
so, if democracies were the only form of government on earth—and they
were stable, robust and prosperous—humankind’s age-old dream of world
peace would be assured. Globalization, with its intricate and intense
connections, helps to guarantee the peaceful planet that humankind has
always sought.”

Editor
and author John E. Wade II has compiled a spiritual guide of invaluable
insight for finding peace and meaning in life while making the world a
better place for all. Along with co-authors Charlotte Livingston
Piotrowski, Daniel Agatino, Michael Nagler, and Martin Rutte, this
collection of enlightening essays and inspirational quotes from renowned
thinkers and leaders throughout history provides the intellectual tools needed to live a more harmonious life.

Wednesday, October 15, 2014

Reading
within your genre as well as within other genres will make you a better
writer. See what works for you as a reader and what doesn’t.
Incorporate the good traits and resolve to eliminate any bad habits you
observe.

2) Study writing blogs, books, and sites.

You might feel like you’re an expert once you’ve gotten your book published, but there’s always more that you can learn. Writer’s Digest,
other authors’ websites, genre-specific magazines, and writing
newsletters can help you understand what mistakes other authors are
making and how to avoid those mistakes. For instance, one writing ezine
often discusses disreputable publishers and agents, warning other
writers to say away.

3) Watch TV and movies.

Yep,
you read that right. Watching television and movies helps you to
understand what’s popular and can help you to see issues in ways you
might never have considered. Let’s say you watch a detective program. It
could give you insight into why your villain behaves as she does.
Granted, your villain might not be a murderer, but her long history of
abuse could explain her actions.

4) Subscribe to agents’ and editors’ blogs.

They
know the industry like no one else. If you want to know what’s going on
in the publishing world, this is an excellent place to start.

In
order to properly proofread your own work, you might have to read the
story backward or in some other order to truly see the words. When we’re
proofing our stories, we tend to see what we believe is there. If our
intention was to write, “We took the dog to the groomer,” then we’ll see
that even if we’ve actually typed, “We too the dog to the groomer.” The
eye skims right over that missing k, and the mistake isn’t highlighted as such by my word processing software.

7) Learn to self-edit.

Self-editing
differs somewhat from proofreading because it is more involved than
correcting typos. Self-editing includes fixing flaws. Did your character
say something that doesn’t ring true? Have you used the word jump ten
times on the same page? Does your character behave in a way that isn’t
faithful to her personality for no apparent reason? Once you’ve had your
work edited by a professional, you’ll be more aware of what to look
for. In the meantime, do a search for some helpful articles.

8) Listen to how people actually speak.

To
do dialogue well, you need to truly listen to people talking. This is
another good thing about watching movies. The first time I picked up an
Elmore Leonard novel, I thought, “Huh? This guy doesn’t follow the
rules.” But his dialogue rings so true! He uses dialogue to create
characters that are realistic.

9) Experiment.

Write
outside your comfort zone. If you don’t write poetry, try a poem to see
what you can come up with. I took a creative writing class where
students had to read a short story in a particular genre and then write a
story in that genre. We had to write western, science fiction, romance,
horror, mystery, and even how-to instructions. Stretch your limits—you
might be surprised at what you can do.

10) Write.

All the study in the world won’t make you a better writer if you don’t simply put your butt in the chair and write.

Embroidery shop owner Marcy Singer is about to have the rug pulled out from under her….Marcy can’t wait to see the new
exhibit at the Tallulah Falls museum on antique tapestries and textiles,
including beautiful kilim rugs. But her enthusiasm quickly turns to
terror when, the day after the exhibition opens, she discovers a dead
body behind her store, the Seven-Year Stitch, wrapped up in a most
unusual fashion.The victim appears to be a visiting
art professor in town for the exhibit. Did someone decide to teach the
professor a lesson, then attempt to sweep the evidence under the rug?
Along with her boyfriend, Detective Ted Nash, Marcy must unravel an
intricate tapestry of deception to find a desperate killer.

Saturday, October 11, 2014

I
joined the choir in my local church when I was eight years old. I left
to sing a different type of music when I was eighteen. When my treble
voice was in its prime I sang with the choir at evensong in Salisbury
Cathedral.

In
the mid 60s I worked for the Kray family. This could send a shiver down
the spine of a lot of people who either experienced the family first
hand or have read about their ‘reign of terror’ in London at that time.
Charles Kray, who was related to the infamous brothers, was a director
of an entertainment agency who booked us to play at pubs and clubs
across London. His name appeared at the head of every contract we
received; one of his ‘boys’ arrived at the majority of venues to pay us
the contracted amount or to tell us it was ‘cheque to the agent’
tonight; we never argued. We worked for the agency for eighteen months
and had no trouble whatsoever; it was probably the best agency we ever
worked for!

In
the early 70s I appeared on several editions of a sports quiz programme
on the radio. British readers of a certain age will remember the
celebrity team captains, Brian Johnston and Ted Moult. The quizmaster
was Peter Jones, a broadcasting legend. It was an unbelievable
experience.

I
started playing snooker when I was sixteen years old. The local League
provided me with many happy years of competition and after 25 years of
playing I decided to give something back. In 1991 I became League
Secretary and I plan to pass the reins over to someone else in 2015.
I’ve operated a ‘benevolent dictatorship’ and it has seemed to work
without too many problems! I plan on playing after my long term of
office is over!

We
played at The Granary Club in Bristol supporting Genesis on February
22nd 1971. It was a regular venue for us and we had backed several big
names there. The gig was voted the best night in the history of the Club
(1969 -1988). Happy days! The full story is in my first book.

Lynne
and I ran a quiz night at a local social club for almost twelve years. I
hosted over five hundred quizzes, all of which I prepared myself. Lynne
was my glamorous assistant. The last quiz we ran was on 21st December 2012; seven days after I started to write ‘The Final Straw’ my first novel.

I was
made redundant in March 2000 after thirty four years with a tyre
company. I took the money and ran! When I had joined them in the mid 60s
it was a friendly, sociable working environment that made it a pleasure
to go to work. By the time I left it had become a soulless money making
machine and I haven’t given the place a second thought since I walked
through the gates for the final time.

It’s
not very rock ‘n’ roll but the summer after I finished work I started
playing bowls. The vast majority of my colleagues were twenty years
older than me at least, yet the next eight summers were the happiest
sporting times of my life. I was Club Captain in 2008 and maybe I’ll
find time to take it up again when I get older!

I
have been an Exam Invigilator at our local school since 2002. I look
after children sitting various stages of their examination life from
eleven to eighteen years of age. We have a team of twenty or so
invigilators and I’m possibly the longest serving member now. It’s
rewarding work and I keep an eye out for how the ‘superstars’ develop as
they leave us and go on to university and beyond.

In November 2012 I was joined by two of the original members of my last group for a reunion gig. It was to mark the 65thbirthday
of one our road managers. Almost 40 years after our last gig together
we played some of our favourite songs; it was the first time my children
and a lot of my friends had heard me sing! We had a great night, but it
was probably just a ‘one-off’. My friends asked me whether I missed how
it felt to be on stage singing to an audience that enjoyed what they
heard. I replied ‘Only every day!’

The
sequel to the award winning ‘The Final Straw’ sees Colin Bailey return
to the UK after almost a decade abroad. With a new name and a new face
he still has scores to settle. His meticulous planning takes him
ingeniously across Scotland and the North of England ticking names off
his list with the police completely baffled. DCI Phil Hounsell pitted his wits
against Colin before and so he is sent to Durham where he teams up with
super intelligent young DS Zara Wheeler; together they track their man
to Manchester and then eventually south to Bath. The final scenes take place on the
streets of the Roman city; Phil Hounsell’s family is threatened and in a
dramatic conclusion reminiscent of Holmes and Moriarty at the
Reichenbach Falls, the two men struggle above the foaming waters of the
historic Pulteney weir.

Wednesday, October 8, 2014

I have put together a synopsis of what I did for the free 5 day free promotion on amazon .com for my book Is Your Chair Killing You?

My
personal goal for the promo was 3,000 downloads, although I secretly
thought that the chances of getting that many were slim to none. I told
myself I would be totally jacked if I could get 1,500 and pretty darn
happy with 1,000. I kept all this to myself because I wasn’t going to
make the same mistake I made when we originally launched the book (I had
told my wife we would never sell 10 copies of the book in the first
week because most indie authors sell about 4 books a month. She said we
would indeed sell 10 and I defiantly said “if we sell more than ten
copies in the first week, I’ll run naked down the street.” She took the
bet. We sold 40 copies… the neighbors thought my midnight run was
hilarious).

In March when I first launched Is Your Chair Killing You? I
set up several Google Alerts. One for my name, one for the title of the
book and one for “sitting health risks.” It would prove to be very
helpful to my promo.

Three
weeks before my free promo I sent out my first press release to some
local news outlets, magazines I have contributed to, and several health
and wellness blogs and websites. As far as I can tell no one paid any
attention at all.

Two
weeks before my promo I sent out a second press release which generated
just about as much enthusiasm as the first. I also registered with
Pixel of Ink which showcases free Kindle Books as well as a couple of
other free sites. Every couple of days I did a teaser on Twitter,
LinkedIn and Facebook for the upcoming promo. I also tried to find an
E-zine to post to with no luck.

One
week before the promo I contacted some of the companies that have
products featured in the book. Really wish I had done this sooner.
Several said if had I contacted them a couple of weeks earlier they
would have sent out press releases as well ( they have professionals
doing theirs that actually get some attention on the web). Oh well; live
and learn. The companies did agree to push the book on their social
network platforms. I decided not to waste my time with a third press
release. A couple of days before the promo I sent out an email blast to
my data base. In all honesty I thought that this was a waste of time
because I figured I had pretty much exhausted most of my people in my
original March launch, but I did it anyway. The night before the promo I
posted the book on 24 free book and freebies sites then headed off to
bed.

Day 1. I
woke up to 250 downloads. I was in shock. My wife and I danced around
the bed in our pajamas. I spent the morning announcing the promo on my
social network platform with a direct link to my book page. I hit
Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest and LinkedIn 3 times in the morning and 3
times in the afternoon with non book posts in between to keep from
getting too spammy. The book started moving up in the free healthy
living category and in the free personal health category. By the end of
the day we had more than 800 downloads and were ranked #4 in the free
healthy living category.

Day 2 . Slept
in, dawdled around the kitchen making breakfast then checked our stats.
Holy shitake mushrooms! We had over 1,500 downloads. I couldn’t believe
my eyes. I went back and hit my social media again and by early
afternoon we had 3,000 downloads. I checked our overseas downloads but
they were pretty meager—just 11 in the UK and 1 or 2 everywhere else. I
was starting to get a few new reviews, most of them 5 stars, and then I
got my first 1 star review. I was a little ticked about it–not because
it was a bad review, because I totally expected to get a few bad reviews
(you can’t please everyone) but because it wasn’t actually a review of
my book. The reviewer just accused me of faking my reviews (I didn’t)
and never talked about the book at all.

In
the late afternoon I got a Google alert for sitting health risk. A big
study in a prestigious British medical journal had just been released.
The new study found that people who sat for extended periods of time
doubled their risk of getting diabetes, heart disease and dying (which
just happens to be the subject of my book). Eight or nine major online
news outlets (BBC, New York Times, Huffington Post) were reporting the
story and I plugged my book in the comment section of each one of the
stories telling people about the book and where they could get it. All
of the outlets posted the comments. By the time we went to bed we were
#2 in free healthy living category and had 4,500 downloads.

Day 3. I
sent out a follow up email to my list and suggested that if they had
already gotten the book they could also go on Amazon and gift a copy to a
friend or family member. Got more Google alerts and again left
comments. Went back to all the free sites and reposted (the original
posts had been pushed down below the first page by then because of newer
posts). At the end of the day we had a little over 6,500 downloads and
had climbed to the #1 spot in the free healthy living category as well
as the free personal health category. Even more surprising, we had
cracked the free Kindle top 100 list at 38.

Day 4. Things
started to slow down a bit on the fourth day in the USA but the UK was
on fire. I had gone from 11 downloads to almost 300 and every time I
looked the numbers were going up. I kept hitting my social media while
trying not to piss off my followers by being spammy. Headed to bed with a
little more than 8,000 downloads. We were still #1 one in both free
healthy living and personal health and in the top ten of free Kindle
nonfiction. Even better we hit #13 on the free Kindle top 100 list.

Day 5. I spent
most of the day just checking the numbers. It had been an incredible
ride. Now I had to figure out how to keep this momentum going and try
not to worry… “is there going to be anyone left to actually purchase the
book?” Somehow even though it had been five days, it still didn’t feel
real. It was like a great dream that I really didn’t want to wake up
from. As day turned to night I started to feel sad, which is nuts
because it’s one of the coolest things I had ever experienced, but sad
none the less because it was almost over. I turned off the computer at
9pm. We were #1 in both free healthy living & personal health and
cracked into the top 10 of the kindle free top 100 list. My book had
been downloaded 10,542 times worldwide in those five days. Honestly it
still doesn’t feel real, but it certainly feels good. I think that when
my next book is published (in the next three weeks) I think I’ll do a
two or three day free promo and position it to start mid-week—I’ve heard
that the numbers can be bigger during the week. That’s all I know.

Sitting
for extended periods of time is as bad for your health as smoking
cigarettes. And exercising for 30-60 minutes a day isn’t enough to undo
the damage from extended periods of sitting. Is Your Chair Killing You
reveals shocking new research showing that sitting for long periods
greatly increases your risk of developing obesity, heart disease,
diabetes, stroke and cancer. Our bodies were designed to move constantly
over the course of the day, but most of us sit for hours a day at work
and at home! Fitness and wellness expert and award-winning author Kent
Burden has created brief, simple movements you can incorporate into your
daily life to combat the damaging effects of sitting. These simple
movements, done standing for 1-5 minutes each hour will burn calories,
energize and refresh you, and you won’t even break a sweat; you’ll even
improve your back pain. This book is a how-to for weight loss and
disease prevention. Read this book–you’ll be healthier in as little as 8
minutes a day.

Nominated for the Dan Poynter Global Ebook Awards and won honorable mention at the Los Angeles Book Festival

Tuesday, October 7, 2014

First,
I must print this disclaimer. I’m not a marketing individual. And I,
James, the second book of The Eternity Series which will be released in
September 2014, is only the second book that I’ve tried to market.
So, everything has been trial and error. But, I will borrow heavily
from badredheadmedia.com’s Rachel Thompson, and several others, and the
lessons they have taught me.

You need an Online Presence. Gmail+, FaceBook, Twitter, Pinterest….
They all have their uses. Personally, I’m on FaceBook, and Twitter.

Facebook has my personal page, where my family and friends reside,
and then a Corporate page which is where I try to publicize The Eternity
Series. And other projects that I have. BcBaldEagles.com also comes to
mind. It’s also a separate corporate page. And the three pages share
posts from each other.

Twitter is my second social media channel. @MHartnerAuthor is my
identity, since Rachel once said, it’s better to publicize yourself as
an author than to publicize individual books, and keep changing the
identity. Son’t confuse people. Publicize yourself as an author.

Pluggio and hootsuite are great tools. Pluggio allows you to ‘drip’
every few hours news topics of your interest. Hootsuite allows you to
post on more than one site from a consolidated dashboard. Both are
useful.

Don’t expect everyone who follows you to remain. But help them by
not including expletives in every second post, or every third word.
Show them that you can enjoy life as much as it can frustrate you.

Social Networks allow you to reach out to a lot of other people.
AS much as you want others to follow you, follow them. Find others
with your interest. Other authors, other Nutella aficionados, other
quilters, whatever… By following a wide range of others, a wide range of
them will follow you.

BLOG, or get blog tours. Blog
tours are GREAT exposure for your book. They usually have a wide and
diverse cross section of reviewers, who are all interested, to some
extent, in your writing.

HELP OTHERS. If you can help
others with your lessons, do. If you can Share other’s posts,
announcements, etc… chances are they’ll share yours. And your messages
will get out to people you never expected.

90/10 Rule.
At least 90 percent of your posts and blogs should be focused on
things OTHER THAN selling your book. Great reviews are one thing you
can announce more often. Share Reviews of books you’ve read. Even
better if they’re current books (last five years). Even Better if
you’re following the author when you post the review.

ENGAGE
your audience. Snippets, comments, and reviews of everyone’s work are
great things to post. Top Ten lists about your life, about your
hobbies… all of these build audience.

And while you’re building audience, but not screaming BUY MY BOOK, chances are some people will buy it.

And that’s what makes social media so great. Being Social.

James Crofter was ripped from his family at age 11. Within a year the prince was a pauper in a foreign land. Is nature stronger than nurture? And even if it is, can James find the happiness he so richly desires?

I
look in the mirror, and what do I see? Extra lines, less hair, a little
more weight, depending on my current level of fitness. Time stands
still for no one. And, if you’re open to growing, learning, that’s a
good thing. A very good thing.

By
looking at that reflection—literally and figuratively—I’ve seen more
changes than I can possibly count over the years. With more salt than
pepper in my goatee, my facial hair shows some tread on my tires. Muscle
strains, joint pain, squinting to read small print, all come with
living a full life year after year for almost five decades. And don’t
get me going about my torn rotator cuff. But it certainly beats the
alternative.

I’ve
never been one to hide my age, starting when I was a young kid, and
looking even younger. I always had a stubborn, driven core that pushed
me to work hard, even if the task or nature of the job was unappealing,
or even if it made me want to puke. In my teenage years I built banana
splits and flipped burgers, then mowed yards in triple-digit
temperatures. Once I made it out of college, I worked long hours trying
to scoop my rival reporter at the cross-town newspaper—my first paying
gig in the writing world. But my drive and competitiveness hit an
advanced level once I hit the grind of corporate life.

Information
Technology was the field, the very hot field that sucked me in like an
F5 tornado. It’s a remarkable industry, with an amazing array of
talented, visionary people, especially in the early days, before anyone
had used the term start-up.

From
day one, I never quite felt comfortable working in IT, and most of the
time truly felt out of place. Technology has never been a keen interest
of mine. I had a few talents that helped me along the way…I’m pretty
good with numbers and motivating people to get stuff done, even if I
didn’t truly understand the nuts and bolts of what the hell we were
trying to accomplish. It didn’t matter. I was told to break through the
brick wall, and I did anything to reach the goal. I was about the best
grinder around. Many were smarter, but few worked as hard. I never let
my brain relax, because I couldn’t afford to.

And
then I woke up. It wasn’t an overnight epiphany. I had internal
struggles for years, my true voice softly telling me to find a job or
business that suited me. It took a good ten years for me to take action,
to recognize that little voice as my true self.

I
have a friend who knew what he wanted to do when he was fourteen years
old, maybe younger. He dreamed of working as a nuclear physicist. I’m
not kidding. He was—is—brilliant. He wanted it so badly he could taste
it. He talked about it all the time, studied everything about that
world, and mapped his path toward his destiny.

Outside
of dreaming to play for any number of sports teams, while growing up I
could never figure out what I was destined to do with my life. Working
as a reporter allowed me to work a muscle that I’d never used. The job
itself was bit confining, but it ignited a creative spark in me that
stayed alive like the Olympic flame. Then came the IT gig.

It
was all meant to be…to provide life experiences that have taught me
plenty, that I can share with others, my family, and, yes, write about
in the most unbridled, embellished way possible. It’s empowering to
finally admit the truth about who I am, how I want to contribute to the
world, to evoke emotion from readers of my work. Is it a mid-life
crisis? That’s not how I see it. I don’t want to buy a red sports car, I
love my wife more than ever, and I have great fulfillment by watching
three kids grow up and figure out life.

Instead,
I’ve experienced a mid-life enlightenment. I might be in my late
forties, but it’s better to admit who you are and what you’re passionate
about before there’s no life left to live.

My
only advice to my kids and anyone else of any age? Listen to your true
self. Find your passion and then don’t hide it. Work like hell to be
better at it, and be proud of who you are and how you impact the world.

It’s
funny how things work out in life. My friend? Well, the government shut
down funding for the super-collider, and after investing seven years of
college and low-paying internships in cold-weather cities, his dreams
of making a living as a nuclear physicist were flushed down the toilet.
Now, though, he’s one of those visionary, brilliant people in the IT
industry. He’s damn good at it, and I think he enjoys most of it. Bravo
for him!

As
for me, I’m a writer. I think I’m pretty damn good at it, and I’ll work
my ass off to get better. That’s my passion. I hope you find yours.

Behind
the façade of every corporate takeover executives pull levers this way
and that, squeezing the last profitable nickel out of the deal. But no
one knows the true intent of every so-called merger. No one knows the secret bonds that exist. An Indian technology giant swallows
up another private company that has deep roots in North Texas. For one
unassuming man the thought of layoffs, of losing his own job to a bunch
of arrogant assholes feels like a kick to the jewels. Until the day Michael’s life changes forever. Perverse alliances. An affair of the
heart. A grisly murder. A spiraling string of events thrusts Michael
into a life-or-death fight to save a tortured soul and hunt down a
brutal killer…one who lurks closer than he ever imagined. Greed knows no boundaries.